Self-Reported Pain and Pain Management Strategies Among Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study

Reports of chronic pain such as headache, back and neck pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions are common among veterans with history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This pilot study investigates self-reported pain and pain management strategies in a sample of veterans in postacute recovery from TBI. Participants included 24 outpatients with history of mild-to-moderate TBI who completed a series of self-report measures by mail, including the Pain Outcomes Questionnaire, the Pain Symptom Survey pain scale, and a detailed background survey. Seventy-nine percent of veterans surveyed reported frequent experiences with pain, typically headache, lower back, and joint pain of moderate severity. Two-thirds reported multiple pain locations, and more than half reported multiple concurrent mental health concerns, most frequently depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Several different pain self-management strategies were identified with highly variable effects, though better perceived pain outcomes were reported with regular use of exercise and antidepressants. Many participants identified significant concerns regarding reinjury. Results suggest that opportunity exists for mental health professionals to address common anxieties pertaining to reinjury and to deliver concurrent interventions for chronic pain and affective disturbance.